"Despite all our accumulated information about 1914, we are still very far from being clear as to what men in power understood to be happening, why they thought it mattered, or how they assessed their action choices."

The United States continues to proclaim its support for democracy and its opposition to tyranny, but American presidents often have supported dictators who have allied themselves with the United States. This book illustrates the chronic dilemmas inherent in U.S. dealings with dictators under conditions of uncertainty and moral ambiguity.

Ernest May and Philip Zelikow dispute several points made by Richard Falkenrath in his review of The 9/11 Commission Report. Falkenrath replies to their criticisms.

"...these cases were designed for and used in executive program classes for senior managers in the U.S. intelligence community...."

"In mid-1989, President George H.W. Bush attended a meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the final draft of National Security Directive 26 (NSD-26), which defined U.S. policy toward the Persian Gulf...."

"On June 30, 1960, the former Belgian Congo became independent...."

"Two years after World War II, the United States faced the possibility of becoming involved in a civil war in China...."

"Almost from the beginning, a central theme of U.S. foreign policy has

been support for democracy against dictatorship...."